Ladder



M 15, 1946; i v. M. FowLER LADDER Filed Jan. 9, 1945 Patented Oct. 15, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER Victor M. Fowler, Spokane, Wash.

Application January 9, 1945, Serial No. 572,039

` 1 claimf (c1. zas- 33) This invention relates to ladders and more particularly to a ladder of the step-ladder type, it being one object of the invention to provide a ladder with supporting legs at its rear which are mounted for swinging movement toward and away from the ladder into and out of folded position or into extended position for propping the ladder in upright position for use, the props or supporting legs being also mounted for swinging movement transversely of the ladder to folded position or extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide the ladder with rearwardly extending brackets between which is pivotally mounted a depending yoke having the supporting legs or props pivoted thereto so that the props may be swung transversely of the ladder and also swung with the yoke toward and away from the ladder.

Another object is to provide improved braces for releasably holding the props extended when swung rearwardly from the ladder to extended position, there being also provided improved braces for holding the props extended when swung transversely of the ladder to extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a step-ladder of the improved construction which is simple in construction and very strong.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a ladder having the improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the improved ladder.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

The ladder, indicated in general by the numeral I, has the usual side rails 2 and steps 3, a headboard or platform 4 being mounted at upper ends of the side rails and projecting rearwardly therefrom as shown in Fig. 1. This ladder may be of any height desired.

The props or legs 5 are of appropriate length and preferably taper toward their lower ends, as shown in Fig. 2. 'Ihese legs are formed of wood or other suitable material and, at their upper ends, fit between the leaves 6 and 'I of a yoke 8 which is formed of metal and has its leaves connected at their upper edges with a sleeve 9 merging into the leaf 'I and connected with leaf 6 by a bridge I 0. A rod I I passes through the sleeve 2 9 to pivotally mount the yoke and this rod passes through the arms I2 of brackets I3 carried by the side rails 2 of the ladder. The brackets are formed from strips of sheet metal folded as shown in Fig. 4and, referring to this gure, it will be seen that each bracket is of tubular formation so that it ts 4snugly about the rail to which it is applied and end portions of the'strip are'disposed in at face to face contacting engagement with each other so that the arms I2 will be of double thickness. While the brackets have been shown as rectangular in cross section in Fig. 4, it will be understood that they may be of appropriate cross sectional shape to it the side rails. Headed fasteners I4 secure the brackets to the side rails of the ladder and the end portions of the strips forming the arms I2 are secured to each other by rivets I5. The upper ends of the legs or props 5 are pivotally mounted between the leaves of the yoke by pins I 6 and additional pins I'I are passed through the leaves near their ends. All of the pins carry sleeves I8 serving as spacers to hold the sleeves in predetermined spaced relation to each other so that the legs 5 may swing freely about the pins I6 to folded or extended positions. The pins I'I limit movement of the legs in the direction of the extended position. Portions of the leaves between the legs are reinforced by a block I9 secured by rivets 2U and this block will serve as means for limiting movement of the legs toward each other when swung to retracted position.

When the ladder is in use, the legs 5 are swung with the yoke rearwardly from the ladder to the extended position shown in Fig. 1, and then swung transversely of the ladder away from each other to the extended position shown in Fig. 2. If the ladder is to be used in a corner or other close quarters which would make it inconvenient to have the legs extended as shown in Fig. 2, they may be swung rearwardly to extended position and left close to each other instead of being extended transversely of the ladder.

In order to brace the legs when swung rearwardly to extended position, there has been provided a bracing structure or stretcher consisting of front bars 2| and rear rods 22 and a bridging plate or strip 23. The bars 2l have their front ends pivoted to the side rails 2 of the ladder by fastener pins 24 and, upon referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the bars converge rearwardly. and have their rear ends bent to form diverging portions 25 secured fiat against inner faces of the depending end anges 26 of the bridge 23 by rivets 27. Eyes 28 are carried by the bridge in depending relation thereto and through these eyes are loosely engaged eyes at front ends of the rods 22. Rear ends of the rods 22 are formed with eyes 30 which are loosely engaged through the eyes 3| of bolts 32 mounted through the legs 5. When the legs are swung towards the ladder to the retracted position, the bars 2| and rods 22 are swung upwardly to folded position and, when the legs are extended rearwardly, the bars and rods are moved downwardly and pressure then applied to the bridge 23 to force the bars and rods to fully depressed position, in which position they will very effectively hold the legs extended.

Transverse movement of the legs to extended position is controlled by a stretcher structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This brace or stretcher consists of strips o1- bars 33 and 34 pivoted to front and rear faces of the legs by pins 35. The inner ends of the bars are overlapped and pivotally connected by a pin 36 carrying a spacer sleeve 31 and one of the bars 34 is provided at its inner end with a tongue 31 extending longitudinally therefrom and carrying a forwardly projecting side ear 38 which overlaps the other bar 34 and limits downward movement of the bars. When the legs are swung transversely of the ladder to extended position and downward pressure is applied to the bars 33 and 34, the bars will be held horizontally in alinement with each other after the manner of a break-joint brace and the legs will be prevented from shifting inwardly to- Ward retracted position. By shifting the bars 33 and 34 upwardly the legs may be fully retracted or only partially retracted for use in a restricted place.

What is claimed is:

A spreader for a step ladder equipped with legs mounted for swinging movement to retracted and extended positions, said spreader comprising front and rear bars and a transverse bridge, said *I lbridge having depending flanges at its opposite ends diverging rearwardly, said front bars converging rearwardly and having rear end portions bent to provide rearwardly diverging portions secured flat against inner side faces of said anges, forward end portions of said front arms being bent to extend parallel to each other and adapted to be pivoted to a ladder, eye `bolts depending from said bridge, said rear bars having eyes at their front ends loosely engaged through eyes of the eye bolts, rear ends of said rear bars being also formed with eyes and eye bolts loosely engaged through the eyes at rear ends of the rear bars for loosely connecting the rear bars with legs of the ladder.

VICTOR M. FOWLER. 

